How do you maintain your health while building a company?
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As a family man running my business and caring for my family take precedent. Sometimes those two things have too much of my focus. For years, one thing I neglected was my health.
In my late twenties, I had my marriage, two children, two restaurants, and ill health. I felt overwhelmed and had no clue what to do. All I knew for sure is that what I was doing wasn’t working.
I went in to see the doctor because I wasn’t sleeping well and experiencing bouts of anxiety and depression. This real sense life is closing in on me and my inability to keep up.
My health has gone from a concern to a benefit in my life.
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The doctor told me that I had high blood pressure and looked terrible. He asked if I was getting enough sleep and how my stress level was. I remember sitting there stating, “I have two kids under 4 and two restaurants. How do you think my stress level is?” The doctor gave me three to six months to get my blood pressure in line naturally, or he would recommend that I start taking medication to lower it.
Fast-forward to today and I have my marriage, three bundles of joy, two restaurants, and online presence. I still struggle with overwhelming anxiety at points, in fact as my father said I am usually bored or overwhelmed. He is right, and some of my health is habit, and some are nature. That said, my blood pressure is in the normal range, and I am getting ready to run my fourth marathon. My health has gone from a concern to a benefit in my life. A change in health hasn’t been smooth but with a consistent effort, I feel better than I did as a teenager.
If you want your business to prosper in the long–run you need to make health a priority. These five healthy habits should be a part of your daily life.
Prayer. Prayer is a practice that automatically lowers blood pressure.
Pray to have a healthy spiritual life which leads to a better physical life.
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Breathing slows and you relax when you connect with your heavenly Father. Start each day from this state of prayer and being alone with the creator of the universe. God has your back at all times and starting my day in this manner reminds me of that. When you pray you gain gratitude and peace. God provides all, and His thoughts are better than our own. Pray to have a healthy spiritual life which leads to a better physical life.
Eat. What you consume is what you output. My wife loves sugar and has to fight against eating too much of it I, however, love salt.
Be aware, not obsessed, with what you eat to live healthier.
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Chips and salsa are my nemeses. Some tips are not to cut this out completely but to get your snack out of its packaging and stop when that portion is done. A big open bag of chips ends up getting consumed to quickly otherwise. Reduce salt and sugar intake and reduce or eliminate processed foods. Processed food is always high in sugar or salt. Be aware, not obsessed, with what you eat to live healthier.
Exercise. I started running, and that helped me in more ways than I could have imagined. You don’t need to run, but you do need to get up and get moving.
Get out and move to help your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
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Exercise will help you to have higher energy and greater confidence. My tip for exercise is to sign up for races. It could be a 5k or an ultra-marathon it doesn’t matter. Signing up for races causes you to get out and stay active. If you are self-conscious about races, trust me all shapes and sizes are running and walking these things. Get out and move to help your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Margin. Allowing space in your schedule will return peace to your life. I jam my schedule too full and rush around.
It feels like we are accomplishing more but in reality, we are not making the best moves…
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I know that my margin is too packed when I shovel my food in my mouth and pace around all day. You and I aren’t accomplishing anymore by hurrying through life. It feels like we are accomplishing more but in reality, we are not making the best moves and me be having to do it again coming from this place of rush and hurry. Return margin to your life and remember you are less efficient when you rush.
Fun. Return fun to your life to help your health. It is amazing how we don’t take the time to enjoy our lives. Your life is precious and is not meant to be hurried and serious.
If your health is poor start to pick up one or more of these habits and make a change today! Health like everything else requires focus and energy
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At a Rend Collective concert, one of the band members said seriousness is not a fruit of the Spirit, joy is. I love this! Stop with the frowning and start scheduling and planning fun. Your life is made to enjoy. Your worth is not tied to how much you do. Stop and have some fun to help your health.
If your health is poor start to pick up one or more of these habits and make a change today! Health like everything else requires focus and energy. Do not wait until some of the costs of an unhealthy life catches up with you. You can’t serve the ones you love, build a business, and help others to the best of your abilities when your health is poor. Focus and time will heal your body and change your life.
Previously Published on ZechariahNewman.com
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Photo: Getty Images